Paint bucket holder with attaching bracket and tool stowing means



y 1967 o. F. HOELZEL 3,332,653

PAINT BUCKET HOLDER WITH ATTACHING BRACKET AND TOOL STOWING MEANS Filed June 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Omar E Hoe/ze/ INVENTOR.

y 25, 1967 o. F. HOELZEL ,33

PAINT BUCKET HOLDER WITH ATTACHING BRACKET AND TOOL STOWING MEANS Filed June 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Omar E Hoe/2e! INVENTOR.

/27 BY WW EM 3,332,653 PAINT BUCKET HOLDER WITH ATTACH- ING BRACKET AND T001. STOWING MEANS Omar F. Hoelzel, 106 Parkview Ave., Portsmouth, Va. 23704 Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,106 6 Claims. (Cl. 248-210) The present invention relates to a manually attachable and detachable bucket gripping and suspending device, more particularly, a multipurpose device which functions to embrace and reliably hold a paint bucket or the like, embodies novel bracket-type attaching means, and novel miscellaneous tool stowing means.

More specifically, the concept herein disclosed has to do with a readily applicable and removable rack which lends itself to practical and reliable use on a side rail or stile of either (1) an extension ladder or (2) a stepladder and which can be applied for use on either the lefthand stile or the righthand stile in keeping with the requirements of the ladder user.

It is an an objective of the present endeavor to improve upon similarly constructed and performing racks and holders, more explicitly, to improve upon my prior Patent 3,104,859 dated September 24, 1963 characterized by two component parts or units. One unit is fashioned from a length of strap metal having a horizontal portion whose outer end is bent upon itself to define and provide a container or bucket-encircling band, the inner end portion of the band being bent laterally upwardly to define a vertical leg whose upper end is fashioned into a hook capable of being detachably hooked over a selected rung of a ladder, said leg bearing against the stile of the ladder when in use. In addition, a separate angle member is carried by the horizontal band and cooperates with the leg and an adjacent portion of the band to permit the device to adapt itself to the ladder rail or stile and to hold the bucket, either empty for tools, or charged with paint, depending on the needs of the job at hand.

In carrying out the principles of the present invention and while it bears appreciable resemblance to the prior patented invention it will be quickly and reliably adaptable to extension ladders or stepladders without having to resort to any changes or adjustments of the stock parts (rails, rungs or steps) of the ladder.

Looking toward significant savings, increased potential sales and acceptability from the standpoint of the manufacturer, retailer and user the improved adaptation herein under advisement dispenses with the use of flat strap or band type material and substitutes a bendable stout rod stock therefor. To the ends desired and with respect to the generic aspect of the inventive concept a single length or piece of bendable and formable rod (stout round wire or rod) has one end portion, say the inner end, fashioned into a novel ladder attaching and retaining bracket. The opposite end portion is bent upon itself and fashioned into a paint bucket holder. The intervening or median portion is constructed and shaped to provide a connector, the connector being such that it constitutes and provides an abutment or limit stop which, when in use, bridges or spans and rests upon a coacting forward edge of the ladder stile with which it is being used.

It will be of further assistance to the reader to take note here that the subject matter of the invention analyzed and defined in the preceding paragraph reveals the generic aspect of the overall invention. However, and it should be further noted that a plurality of embodiments, specifically speaking, are being herein revealed and will be orderly and individually taken up and systematically set forth.

As will be evident after having glanced over the illustrative but not restrictive views of the drawings the attaching and retaining bracket in all but one of the disclosed embodiments is unique and well serves the purposes for which it is intended; that is, permits itself to be aptly and effectually used on a round rung (FIG. 2) or a broad fiat step (FIG. 1) whereby to thus provide versatile bucket holding ladder attaching and retaining means.

Further, novelty is predicated on a stout wire or equivalent ladder attachment wherein that part which is disposed horizontally and at right angles to the outer flat surface of the rail is fashioned into an expansible and contractible resilient ring-like hoop which encircles or embraces the bucket and which makes it possible to simply snap the ring or hoop around the bucket and then lift and carry the bucket and attaching means, as a unit, up and down the ladder, attach it to either the rung or step, as the case may be, and start painting from a convenient level.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on the additional function of the hoop-type bucket holder. This is to say, the hoop is provided with an integral supporting and stowing device which device can be appropriated and used as a brush holder (FIG. 1) or a holder for other implements and tools (wrench, hammer or the like) as will be hereinafter more particularly clarified.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a stepladder showing the improved bucket holder, attaching bracket, and brush stowing means;

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective like FIG. 1 with the bucket and brush removed and showing how the crotch portion of the attaching bracket can be utilized as a rung engaging and attachment suspending hook;

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective of the attachment by itself;

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation of the attachment which view is based on FIG. 1 but has the bucket and brush omitted;

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective showing the ladder fragmentarily in phantom lines and showing how the attachment is constructed for use on the lefthand side of the ladder, this being a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 with the ladder in phantom and in perspective and showing a modified step attaching bracket;

FIGURE 7 is a view in perspective of a fourth modification of the invention which is of a dual type and lends itself to selective use on either the left or right side of the ladder whether it be an extension ladder or a stepladder; and

FIGURE 8 is a view in perspective showing a fifth modification and which in many respects is quite similar to the form or adaptation illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive.

By way of introduction to the description of the details it is to be pointed out that except for a slight modification in the details of construction (FIG. 6) the attaching bracket for the attachment is the same in construction. In addition, the holder in each instance is characterized by a ring-like or hoop-type bucket embracing member. There is also an abutment to bridge over the rail of the ladder and component parts between the (1) bracket and (2) holder which coact in embracing the clamping the stile of the ladder between themselves.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, it will be seen that single length of bendable rod stock of stout circular crosssection is employed to provide a holder for a bucket or equivalent container A which is adapted when in use to be hung or racked in position for ready use on a conventional type ladder. One form of ladder is shown at B which can be classified as a stepladder and which has broad flat faced horizontal steps C mounted between the stiles or rails one of which is denoted at D. For conven ience of description the interior flat surface of the rail is denoted at E, the outer surface at F and the front edge at G. The onepiece wire attachment is bent upon itself at the outer end to provide a bucket holder 12 and at the inner end to provide a versatile attaching bracket 14. The bracket is of general inverted V-shaped form and comprises a front relatively long forwardly and downwardly inclined front leg or limb 16 joined by a curvate bight portion 18 to the upper end of a shorter rear leg or limb 20 which has its lower end laterally and rea-rwardly offset 22 by way of a suitably dimensioned and bent portion or bend 24. This style or type of bracket can be applied as shown in FIG. 1 on the step C so that the principal components thereof reside flatwise against the surface E of the stile D. The split ring-type bucket encircling hoop or holder comprises the ring proper 26 with one side portion substantially straight as at 28 and which in spaced parallelism with respect to the leg 16 of the bracket to cooperate therewith in providing a stile embracing grip. The straight portion 28 has an end portion 30' joined to a lower end portion 32 of the bracket by way of a horizontal bent portion which is here described as a connector 34. The free or terminal end 36 of the loop or ring is spaced and hence the loop is resilient and the inherent properties permit it to embrace and yieldingly grip the median portion of the bucket A as shown in FIG. 1. The tool holder in FIG. 3 comprises a radial outstanding straight prong 38 Whereas in FIG. 1 it comprises an upstanding shank 40 terminating in a suitably bent hook or bill portion 42 and serving as a holder for the paint brush H when not in use. It will be evident that the type of bracket shown permits the bent or crotch portion 18 to function as a hook to engage over the rung K in the manner shown in FIG. 2, This dual type attaching bracket 14 is indeed novel and Well serves the purposes for which it is intended.

The description specifically given in respect to the form of the invention of FIGS. 1 and 4 is ample to permit the other forms of the invention to be touched upon perhaps with less specific descriptiveness. Referring then to the second form of the invention shown in FIG. 5 it will be seen that the V-shaped attaching bracket is denoted at 44 and has a curvate bight portion 46, a long depending front leg or limb 48, a shorter rear leg with the rearward terminal end 52 being offset by the bend or bent portion 54 whereby to provide a hook-like grip to engage over the rear edge of the step in the manner suggested. The lower end of the front leg 48 is joined as at 56 to a straight horizontal portion which provides a limit stop and abutment which is engageable with the front edge of the rail of the ladder. The straight portion here is amply long as at 58 where it constitutes one side component of the overall bucket holding hoop 69. The ring-like portion is denoted at 62. This part is resilient and self-adapting to the bucket which is to be held therein and in this instance the free endportion 64 is again straight and terminates as at 66 adjacent the abutment 56. Here the abutment or limit stop 56, and limb 48 and straight resilient portion 58provides means for embracing and attaching the device to the stile of the ladder. The outstanding tool holding or stowing member is here denoted at 67 and has an upwardly bent end portion 68.

With reference now to the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6 a single length of wire is again used and is bent up itself to provide a special attaching bracket 70. In the form of the invention here the loop-like or hoop-type holder is denoted at 72 and comprises a rounded ring-like portion 74, a straight end portion 76 with'a terminal 78, and an additional straight-sided portion 80 having the connector or abutment 82 joined thereto and adapted to bridge the stile of the ladder. Here the ladder attaching bracket comprises a straight portion 84 which rests on the step of the ladder and is provided with an upstanding U-shaped member having an upstanding leg 86, a depending long leg 88 and a rounded bight portion 90. These features provide means which can be detachably hooked over the step of the ladder in the manner shown in FIG. 6. The tool stowing means here comprises an inverted J-shaped member; namely, an upstanding shank or stud 92 :joined to the median portion of the ring and which has a hook 94 on the upper end thereof which is used in the same manner as denoted at 40 and 42 in FIG. 1.

In the dual type container holder and holder bracketing means in FIG. 7 two component parts are united. It

will be evident, however, that these parts are so integrated that they may be regarded as formed from a single length of rod stock. In other words, one end portion is cut to provide the bucket holder and it is soldered or welded in place. The main component part is of U-shaped form and is denoted at 96 and comprises a straight bight portion 98 having laterally projecting coplanar limbs 100 at opposite ends which are the main or long legs of the respectively denoted V-shaped right and left attaching brackets 102 and 104 respectively. Each bracket is the same in construction and a description of one will sufiice for both. It follows that the front or long leg 100* has its upper end joined by a rounded bight or crotch portion 106 to the upper end of the rear short leg 108 having a laterally oifset hook or detent 110 which functions in the manner already described and shown for example in FIGS. 1 and 5. As a matter of fact the hook in FIG. 6 is similar and functions accordingly in a similar manner and for this reason the language of the claims is graduated and utilized accordingly. In the present form of the invention (FIG. 7) the hoop or split ring 112 is fashioned into a bucket embracing member 114 having one curvate end 116 welded or soldered in place at 118 on the median part of the bight portion 98. The free end portion of the ring is spaced from the bight portion and is' denoted at 120. The central portion of the loop or hoop is provided with a coplanar rigid U-shaped member 122 which constitutes a tool or implement holder.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 8 a single length of wire is bent upon itself between its ends to define the inverted V-shaped attaching bracket 124 and the hoop-type can or bucket-embracing holder 126. Here the long limb of the bracket is denoted at 128, the short rim at 130, this being the rearward leg and being joined by the curvate bight or crotch portion 132 to the leg 128. The oifset free end is denoted at the olfsetting bend at 132. The lower end of the leg 128 is joined to the straight connector 134 which is a cornponent of the straight portion 136 which is bent upon itself into ring-like or hoop form at 138. The end portion here, denoted at 140 extends beyond the straight portion 136 with the free end terminating at 142. The end portion here, denoted at 140 extends beyond the straight portion 136 with the free end terminating at 142. The limb 128, straight free ended portion 140- and right angular portion 134 (the limit stop or abutment) cooperate in providing the stile embracing means.

With further reference to FIG. 3 the straight or slanting prong 38 functions to support a paint brush or tool which has a thick handle or body and a small supporting hole (not shown). In FIG. 5 the tool holder with the upturned outer end is ideal to support a crescent wrench or similar type tool. In FIG. 6 the stowing means 92 and 94 is ideal to hold an item similar to apaint brush so that the paint drippings will fall back into the bucket. This use is brought out in FIG. 1 for example.

In FIG. 7 the U-shaped means 122 lends itself to neat and practical use for tools such as pliers but by no means should its use be limited thereto. In FIG. 8 the means 127 has been found to be ideally suited for such items as soldering irons and this type of screw eye lends itself to many other useful purposes.

It will be evident that the construction shown and described is advantageous in that when the holder hoop is fitted with a paint bucket and the unit is in place on a ladder, the weight of the unit will cause a portion of the holder to reside in contact with the ladder stile thereby utilizing the existing weight of the bucket to cause the rack to squeeze the bucket tighter and further to prevent any possibility of the bucket slipping in the rack. With this construction it will be easy to insert the bucket into the hoop inasmuch as the holder is made of springy steel Spring rod. By holding the support in the palm of the left hand the fingers inside the hoop and squeezing adjacent component parts together the hoop will open and allow the paint bucket to slide in place with much less effort than when inserting a bucket in a holder in some other but similar manner. The location of the hoop embracing the paint bucket is such that the center of gravity in the bucket always holds the support or rack in an upright position thereby eliminating the possibility of the bucket tipping and spilling paint.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the generic and species aspects of the concept in relation to the systematized views of the drawings the reader will be able to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention and features thereof. Accordingly, a more extended description is thought to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A readily applicable and removable multipurpose attachment for either an extension ladder or a stepladder, as the case may be, comprising: a ring-like paint bucket encircling hoop, said hoop being resilient but radially expansible and contractible and embodying a linearly straight portion adapted to abut and extend across an outside surface of the ladders rail and having a substantially circular portion with a free end directed toward but terminating short of and in spaced relation relative to one end of said straight portion, an inverted substantially V-shaped attaching and retaining bracket vertical and perpendicular to the normal horizontal plane of said hoop, said bracket embodying a pair of outwardly and downwardly diverging legs, that is, a lOng front leg and a rear short leg, the lower end of said front leg depending to a plane below that of the rear leg and having its extremity joined to a coacting end portion of said straight portion by a connector, said connector being adapted to bridge over a front surface of the ladders rail and constituting a rail abutting limit stop, the lower end of the rear leg is laterally and rearwardly offset in a manner to releasably hook over an edge portion of the ladder step with which it is cooperable.

2. A paint bucket holder comprising a single length of stout but bendable steel spring rod stock circular in cross-section having an outer end portion bent upon itself and formed into a bucket holder, having its inner end portion bent upon itself and formed into an upstand ing inverted V-shaped holder attaching and supporting, and having its median portion formed into a rail abut ting limit stop, said limit stop constituting a connector for the holder and bracket respectively, said holder embodying a ring like bucket encircling hoop having a linearly straight stile abutting portion joined at one end to said connector and disposed at right angles thereto and being coplanar therewith, said hoop also having a free terminal end curved and directed toward and spaced from said straight portion at a point adjacent to said connector, said bracket embodying a long front leg, a relatively short rear leg and a curvate vertex joining the upper ends of said legs, the lower end of the long front leg being joined to said connector and being perpendicular thereto, and the lower end portion of the rear leg being free and laterally rearwardly offset and defining a step engaging hook.

3. A paint bucket holder comprising a single length of circular rod stock having an inner end portion formed into an inverted V-shaped attaching and retaining bracket, an elongated straight median portion joined at an inner end to the lower end of the front leg of said bracket and disposed in a plane at right angles thereto, having its outer end portion curved rearwardly and then forwardly and fashioned into a resilient ring-like bucket encircling hoop, the latter having a free end portion which is generally straight, is at approximate right angles to said straight median portion and is spaced from a rearward side thereto.

4. A paint bucket holder comprising a bendable rod having an inner end portion straight and adapted to reside atop a selected step on a ladder, the rearward end of said straight portion terminating in a vertically downbent step-engaging hook, the median portion of said rod being likewise straight, coplanar with and disposed at right angles thereto, the outer end portion of said rod being curved and formed into a hoop, the terminal portion being straight and spaced from one end of said straight median portion, being disposed at right angles to said straight median portion and spaced from and parallel to said straight inner end portion.

5. A paint bucket holder comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a straight across bight portion and coplanar limbs, said limbs diverging outwardly and downwardly and defining and providing selectively usable V-shaped attaching and retaining brackets, each bracket having a long front leg, and a companion short rear leg, the latter having its lower end free and rearwardly offset, and a bucket encircling and holding hoop generally circular and ring-like in plan and having one end joined to a median part of said bight portion and the other end free and spaced from said bight portion, said hoop being of a plan dimension less than the space between said limbs, being in a plane common with said bight portion and having rounded diametrically opposite side portions spaced from the respectively oriented and coordinating brackets, whereby said holder can be attached to either the left or right stile or rail of an extension ladder or a stepladder, as may be desired.

6. A paint bucket holder comprising a single length of bendable rod stock having an inverted V-shaped attaching bracket formed at one end, said bracket being adapted to be selectively detachably connected to and hung from a step or, alternatively, a rung on a conventional ladder a straight portion at right angles to and joined with a lower end of a front leg of said bracket, the end of the rod opposite to said bracket being bent upon itself and fashioned into a generally circular paint bucket holder, the terminal portion of said rod being free and extending toward, crossing and projecting beyond said straight portion and spaced from but parallel to the limbs of said bracket, said holder being adapted to assume a generally horizontal plane when in use, said bracket being vertical and rising perpendicularly above the plane of the holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,604 1/1911 Herring 248-211 1,536,678 5/1925 Markowski 248-302 X (Other references on following page) '2 UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson 248121 Bruns 248211 Penney 248-210 X Dietrich 243-210 X Heinrich 248210 Joecks 248-210 Toune 248210 8 2,993,672 7/1961 Bower et a1. 248211 3,133,147 5/1964 Auld et a1. 248-302 X 3,182,943 5/ 1965 Crossman 248-210 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

CLAUDE A. LEROY, Examiner,

R. P. SEITTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A READILY APPLICABLE AND REMOVABLE MULTIPURPOSE ATTACHMENT FOR EITHER AN EXTENSION LADDER OR A STEPLADDER, AS THE CASE MAY BE, COMPRISING: A RING-LIKE PAINT BUCKET ENCIRCLING HOOP, SAID HOOP BEING RESILIENT BUT RADIALLY EXPANDSIBLE AND CONTRACTIBLE AND EMBODYING A LINEARLY STRAIGHT PORTION ADAPTED TO ABUT AND EXTEND ACROSS AN OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE LADDER''S RAIL AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR PORTION WITH A FREE END DIRECTED TOWARD BUT TERMINATING SHORT OF AND IN SPACED RELATION RELATIVE TO ONE END OF SAID STRAIGHT PORTION, AN INVERTED SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED ATTACHING AND RETAINING BRACKET VERTICAL AND PERPENDICULAR TO THE NORMAL HORIZONTAL PLANE OF SAID HOOP, SAID BRACKET EMBODYING A PAIR OF OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY DIVERGING LEGS, THAT IS, A LONG FRONT LEG AND A REAR SHORT LEG, THE LOWER END OF SAID FRONT LEG DEPENDING TO A PLANE BELOW THAT OF THE REAR LEG AND HAVING ITS EXTREMITY JOINED TO A COACTING END PORTION OF SAID STRAIGHT PORTION BY A CONNECTOR, SAID CONNECTOR BEING ADAPTED TO BRIDGE OVER A FRONT SURFACE OF THE LADDER''S RAIL AND CONSTITUTING A RAIL ABUTTING LIMIT STOP, THE LOWER END OF THE REAR LEG IS LATERALLY AND REARWARDLY OFFSET IN A MANNER TO RELEASABLY HOOK OVER AN EDGE PORTION OF THE LADDER STEP WITH WHICH IT IS COOPERABLE. 